Despite the remarkable nature of Aston Villa’s campaign as Unai Emery’s side appear poised to secure Champions League football while reaching the semi-finals of the Europa League, Sancho has played a peripheral role in their achievements. Sancho has managed just one goal and three assists in 33 outings while drawing a blank in the Premier League, meaning he has netted only three goals in English top-flight football over the past three years.
Amid uncertainty surrounding his future, Sky Sports Germany correspondent Florian Plettenberg has claimed that Sancho is poised for a third spell at Dortmund, with the former England star agreeing to a return to Germany – apparently on a free transfer.
Plettenberg reports that Sancho’s agreement has been reached despite entertaining various offers, and Dortmund manager Niko Kovac has already given the green light for the winger’s arrival. However, he noted that the ultimate decision to bring Sancho back to the Bundesliga rests with sporting director Ole Book and chief executive Lars Ricken.
Ricken – who devoted the entirety of his 15-year playing career to Dortmund – had already confirmed the club’s interest in Sancho when speaking to Sport Bild. The executive recently stated: “We are currently looking at a lot of players and analysing them. We check whether they can make us better. We are doing the same with Jadon.
“Of course, we are looking for an offensive player who brings quality, can help us immediately, and doesn’t require an unrealistic transfer fee. In defense, Niklas Süle is leaving us, and Emre Can will be out for a while. So we are thinking about that area as well.”
Having registered 53 goals and 67 assists in 158 appearances across his two spells at Dortmund, the finest moments of Sancho’s career came while donning the black and yellow shirt, with former team-mate Marco Reus even urging him to represent the club once more.
The former Germany international departed Dortmund in 2024 after a 12-year stint to join LA Galaxy, and has urged his ex-team-mate to breathe new life into his career at the club, while singing his praises as a footballer.
Speaking to Sport Bild, the 36-year-old said: “My main advice to Jadon is to look for a place where he feels at home again and can rediscover his form. And if that’s at BVB, then it would be good for both him and Dortmund! I have rarely played alongside a player who made such good decisions instinctively and in tight situations.”